Teen Driver Safety Week encourages road safety

by jmaloni

Press release

Fri, Oct 12th 2012 09:30 pm

New
research shows that risky behaviors climb when peer passengers are
onboard

Risky
behaviors among 16- and 17-year-old drivers involved in fatal crashes
increased when teen passengers were present, according to a study
conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. With motor
vehicle crashes ranking as the leading cause of death for teens, AAA
is calling on parents to get involved and stay involved as their
teens learn to drive.

The
new research, released as part of Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct.
14-20), shows that the prevalence of risky behaviors generally grew
for 16- and 17-year-old drivers as the number of teen passengers
increased. Among 16- and 17-year-old drivers involved in fatal
crashes:

•The
prevalence of speeding increased from 30 percent to 44 percent and 48
percent with zero, two and three or more teen passengers,
respectively.

•The
prevalence of late-night driving (11 p.m. to 5 a.m.) increased from
17 percent to 22 percent and 28 percent with zero, two and three or
more teen passengers, respectively.

•The
prevalence of alcohol use increased from 13 percent to 17 percent and
18 percent with zero, two and three or more teen passengers,
respectively.

"Mixing
young drivers with teen passengers can have dangerous consequences,"
said Tony Spada, president/CEO of AAA Western and Central New York.
"AAA urges parents to set and consistently enforce family rules
that limit newly licensed teens from driving with young passengers."

To
help inform parents and teen drivers, AAA will hold free "Start
Smart" teen driving seminars throughout Western and Central New
York. The seminars will begin at 6:30 p.m. and reservations are
required.

Locally,
an event will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at AAA
Amherst Travel and Insurance Center, 100 International Drive,
Williamsville.

AAA
experts will be on hand to discuss: driver training and education;
driver distractions; rules of the road; insurance requirements for
new teen drivers; the entire licensing process, including DMV
paperwork, graduated driver licensing (GDL) regulations, and road
testing; and available tools and resources, such as AAA's new
website for parents and teens, www.TeenDriving.AAA.com.
To register, call 1-800-836-CLUB (2582) or visitwww.AAAdriverprograms.com.

This
study builds on a AAA Foundation report released in May that shows
how risk of death in a traffic crash for 16- and 17-year-old drivers
increases by 44 percent when carrying one passenger younger than 21,
doubles with two, and quadruples with three or more younger
passengers, compared with driving alone.

According
to New York state's graduated license law, junior license holders
under age 18 may drive with no more than one passenger under age 21
unless they are members of the immediate family.

As
Upstate New York's largest member services organization, AAA
provides nearly 860,000 members with travel, insurance, financial and
automotive related services. Since its founding in 1900, AAA has been
a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.
Visit AAA at http://www.AAA.com.